Microsoft is no stranger to making elaborate laptop docks, but its latest may be particularly appealing if you need a genuinely robust hub for work. The company has unveiled a Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock that, as the name implies, uses speedy Thunderbolt 4 (and hence USB 4) to connect your laptop or tablet to all your peripherals. There's enough bandwidth to connect two 4K monitors at 60Hz, as well as 96W of power that's enough to recharge some demanding portable PCs.The dock offers a healthy mix of modern and legacy ports, plus a few helpful design touches. You'll find two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack and 2.5Gbps Ethernet on the back, but you'll also find one USB-C and one USB-A port on the front — it shouldn't be awkward to plug in a thumb drive or phone. Tactile indicators on the back make it easier for people of various abilities to find ports by feel, while the 20 percent ocean-bound plastic reduces the environmental impact.Before you ask: while the dock is designed with the Surface Laptop 5, Surface Laptop Studio and Intel-based Surface Pro 9 in mind, that's not a strict requirement. Any computer with Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 ports should work. You could attach a MacBook Pro, if you're feeling ironic.The Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock is available today on Microsoft's store for $300. That's considerably more expensive than many laptop docks, and you may wish it had features like a full-size SD card reader. The price is on par with similarly powerful docks, though, and it may be worthwhile if you'd rather not spend valuable minutes plugging in peripherals when you sit at your desk.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-surface-thunderbolt-4-dock-is-a-high-speed-laptop-and-tablet-hub-161856424.html?src=rss
There's an abundance of streaming devices out there to serve your TV, movie and live sports needs, but if you're looking for a solid model that can deliver 4K video without making too much of a dent in your bank account, it's definitely worth checking out Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max. As part of a Fire TV device sale, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped back down to its lowest price to date. You can pick one up for $35, which is $20 off the regular price.This is a souped-up version of the Fire TV Stick 4K. Amazon says the higher-end model is 40 percent more powerful and offers more fluid navigation while it can start apps more swiftly. There's support for WiFi 6, Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max comes with the Alexa Voice Remote, and with the help of the 750Mhz GPU, you can play some games (such as Amazon Luna cloud gaming titles).If you're looking for a streaming stick but don't need 4K video, it's worth considering the Fire TV Stick Lite. It's our pick for the best budget streaming stick. As part of Amazon's Fire TV device sale, it's currently $20, which is $10 off the usual price.At the other end of the scale is the latest Fire TV Cube. That's currently down from $140 to $125. This device is twice as powerful as the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, Amazon says. It has an octa-core 2.0 GHz processor and WiFi 6E support. You'll have the option to control a compatible cable and satellite set top box with your voice and manage your smart home from your TV.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-returns-to-record-low-of-35-153837826.html?src=rss
Apple's latest Mac Mini has dropped to $549 at Amazon and B&H. Outside of special discounts for education customers, this matches the lowest price we've seen for the entry-level model with 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and Apple's M2 chip. For reference, Apple normally sells this variant for $599.We gave the Mac Mini with the beefier M2 Pro chip a review score of 86 earlier this year. This model won't be as powerful for video editing or software development, but the hardware is just as compact, and the base M2 is still plenty fast and quiet for web browsing, less hardcore work and general use. Just make sure that's all you want out of the device first, as, like most Macs, you can't upgrade the Mini's internals over time. And while the Mini's lack of front-facing ports is annoying, on the back it has two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet jack and a headphone jack.As with other recent Macs, this entry-level Mac Mini technically has slower SSD performance than its predecessor, but the drop-off shouldn't be significant in real-world use, especially if you stick to the less intense tasks at which this model is aimed. If you think you'll need more storage and don't want to use an external drive, a variant with a 512GB SSD is available for $749. If you plan on using the desktop daily for the next several years, buying a model with at least 16GB of RAM may be a better value; those options start at $799. But if you just want the cheapest Mac desktop possible, the base model is still a great compact PC for the essentials, and this discount makes it a little more affordable.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-mac-mini-m2-is-back-on-sale-for-549-150004084.html?src=rss
Sony just made it decidedly easier to find games that accommodate people with disabilities. As of this week, the company is rolling out accessibility tags on the PlayStation Store for PS5 users. Press the triangle button when looking at game's hub and you'll see whether a title has features to support those with visual, audio and motor needs. You'll know if a game has alternative colors, a screen reader or controller adjustments, for instance.The tags will be generally available this week. Most of the initial support revolves around marquee games like Death Stranding Director's Cut, God of War Ragnarök and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Sony says it's working with a "wide range of developers" to deploy tags going forward, so you can expect to see them from smaller studios.The option comes roughly a year and a half after Microsoft unveiled similar tags for Xbox gamers. Not that PlayStation developers have been waiting for Sony to act. The Last of Us creator Naughty Dog has made a point of prioritizing accessibility in its games, such as a feature that plays dialogue through the PS5's DualSense controller as haptic feedback. In that regard, the store upgrade helps expose and promote these efforts.Sony hasn't been standing still. The firm is developing an accessible PS5 controller that, like Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller, helps people with limited motor control play games that might otherwise be unusable. The tags are just part of a broader strategy to make gaming viable for many more people — provided they can find a PS5 in the first place, of course.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/playstation-store-finally-adds-accessibility-tags-for-ps4-and-ps5-games-144030448.html?src=rss
A UK privacy watchdog has fined TikTok £12.7 million ($15.8 million) for what it says are several breaches of data protection laws, including how the app handled children's personal information. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says that, in 2020, TikTok allowed as many as 1.4 million kids aged under 13 to use the app in breach of its own rules.The ICO states that companies offering "information society services" to under-13s need to obtain consent from the kids' parents or guardians. TikTok didn't do that, according to the regulator, which noted the company "ought to have been aware that under-13s were using its platform." Moreover, the ICO (an independent public body) said TikTok didn't do enough to find and remove underage users from the app — despite some senior employees raising concerns about the issue.The office determined that, between May 2018 and July 2020, TikTok breached the UK General Data Protection Regulation in several ways. Among other things, the ICO says TikTok failed to properly inform users in an easy-to-understand way how it handles and shares their data. As such, TikTok users, including kids, "were unlikely to be able to make informed choices about whether and how to engage" with the app. The office added that TikTok failed to make sure that it was processing the data it held on UK users "lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner."“We invest heavily to help keep under-13s off the platform and our 40,000-strong safety team works around the clock to help keep the platform safe for our community,” TikTok told ABC News. “We will continue to review the decision and are considering next steps.”The fine is not as steep as previously expected. After publishing the preliminary findings of its TikTok investigation, which started in February 2019, the ICO warned the company in September that it faced a fine of as much as £27 million ($33.7 million). The probe started around the time the Federal Trade Commission fined TikTok $5.7 million over child privacy violations.More recently, TikTok has faced deeper scrutiny from regulators around the globe over privacy and security worries. Some governments have raised concerns that the platform's parent company ByteDance (which is based in Beijing) may be compelled to share data on their countries' residents with Chinese officials. Last month, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew told a House committee that "ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country."Nevertheless, the app has been banned from government devices in several territories, including the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Norway and the European Parliament. Dozens of US states have prohibited TikTok on devices they own as well. Severalbills have been introduced that would give the US the power to ban the platform completely, while TikTok has claimed the White House is trying to force ByteDance to sell the app.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uk-privacy-watchdog-fines-tiktok-158-million-for-misusing-kids-data-143046278.html?src=rss
Hyundai has built itself a reputation for delivering vehicles that offer a luxury feel at regular person prices. The latest EV from the automaker takes that up a notch by not just competing with the Tesla Model 3 but also the more high-end Polestar 2. The 2023 Ioniq 6 starts at $41,600 with two battery and drivetrain options. The various combinations of battery packs and either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive result in range numbers from 240 miles to 361 miles. It gives potential buyers the ability to determine which electric sedan works best for their situation.Beyond the range numbers, the vehicle ships with a new and improved version of Hyundai’s driver assistance system, incredibly smooth acceleration mapping and a suspension system that – while not built as a sports sedan – is far more capable than anticipated while hitting the hills above Phoenix, Arizona. The biggest issue with the vehicle is headroom for tall drivers and passengers. The desire to reduce drag has brought the roof down that could be an issue for basketball players.For more details, check out our first drive video below, where we found the Ioniq 6 to be one of our favorite EVs on the road.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hyundais-ioniq-6-is-a-value-packed-ev-sedan-141507979.html?src=rss
Peloton owners with a Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (including the Watch 5 Pro) or Galaxy Watch 4 can now monitor their heart rate on their exercise equipment. The Peloton Wear OS app update that enables the feature begins rolling out today.The pairing process is similar to that of the Apple Watch, which launched its Peloton app in 2019 and added direct heart rate support in March 2022. Once you’ve installed the Peloton app update on your Galaxy Watch, choose a workout on your exercise equipment, open the app on your wearable and follow the “Connect” prompt. You should see your heart rate synced in real-time on your exercise machine. Peloton launched its Wear OS app last October, but it only showed users’ heart rates on the watch, not the workout equipment.The update arrives as Samsung and Peloton (the latter especially) could use the strategic partnership. After years of being one of the only big-name Android smartwatches, Samsung’s flagship wearable has new competition in the Pixel Watch, which launched last October. Meanwhile, Peloton has struggled financially after a lockdown-era boom, leading to four rounds of layoffs last year that cut over half its workforce.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-watch-users-can-now-view-their-heart-rate-on-peloton-equipment-140056941.html?src=rss
You might not want to rely on Apple's built-in Weather app to see if you need a jacket today. As Apple's status page confirms, many users are reporting that the app isn't loading information on all of the company's platforms, including iOS and macOS. We've asked Apple for comment, but the alert pins the issue (initially limited to Alaska) on a "data provider outage."The company noted the problem late Monday, but it's still ongoing as of this writing. Apple hasn't provided an estimated time for restoring weather data. MacRumors says some users have had intermittent problems with the Weather app since the release of iOS 16.4 last week.The outage comes a few months after Apple shut down Dark Sky for iOS, but years after the company started integrating Dark Sky's info into its Weather app. The transition and the glitch aren't necessarily connected, but this isn't great news for Dark Sky users who've had to use Apple's software to get the fine-grained forecasts they're used to. For now, you'll have to rely on third-party apps or the web to know if you should carry your umbrella.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-weather-app-is-broken-for-many-users-135409192.html?src=rss
OnePlus launched a second generation of its budget earbuds today. The Nord Buds 2 cost 50 percent more than last year’s original, but they offer several upgrades in return.The Nord Buds 2 still have 12.4mm titanium drivers, but they add active noise cancelation — up to 25dB, according to OnePlus — to help shut out the world around you. Like most ANC earphones, they also offer a transparency mode, and you can quickly switch between the two. Additionally, the company says the Buds 2 use AI (Big Tech’s favorite 2023 buzzword) to accentuate bass without losing clarity or adding distortion.Call clarity was one of our criticisms of the 2022 Nord Buds, and OnePlus claims it addressed that in the new model. The company says “an AI algorithm” pairs with its dual-mic system to amplify your voice, blur background voices and improve call quality. Like their predecessors, the Nord Buds 2 use the AAC codec and support Dolby Atmos, and you can tune their sound with the earbuds’ pre-defined equalizer profiles. In addition, they include IP55 water and dust resistance and have customizable touch controls.OnePlusThe company says the earbuds' battery will provide up to seven hours per charge and 36 hours total (with ANC off) with its charging-case reserve. You can also allegedly add five hours of battery life (also with ANC off) with only 10 minutes of charging.The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 are available today in white and gray for $60. You can order them from the OnePlus website or Amazon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/oneplus-launches-60-nord-buds-2-with-anc-134531414.html?src=rss
Now that spring is making outdoor walks more of a pleasure, you might want some wireless earbuds — and thankfully, Amazon is making them more affordable. The retailer is again selling Apple's third-generation AirPods for $150, or $20 off. That's a record-low price, and may make the decision easy if you're looking for a reliable option. If that's still pricey, the second-gen AirPods are also on sale for just $99.The third-gen AirPods are considered an iPhone user's 'default' wireless earbuds for good reason. They don't have active noise cancellation (ANC), but they sound better than their predecessors while offering a more comfortable fit and longer battery life. They're sweat-resistant for moderate workouts, and the tight integration with Apple gear may be appealing if you also have an Apple Watch, iPad or Mac.You can sometimes find ANC-equipped earbuds for less, such as Jabra's Elite 4 Active. And if you want to stick to Apple buds, you may want to keep an eye out for sales on the second-gen AirPods Pro. They sometimes drop to $199, and pack ANC as well as better sound and a workout-ready fit. The standard AirPods represent a safe pick at this price, though, and their lack of ANC might even be preferable if you want to hear more of the outside world.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-third-gen-airpods-are-back-on-sale-for-150-131553863.html?src=rss
Google has changed its tune and removed the file creation limit it quietly implemented for Drive over the past weeks. In a Twitter announcement (via Android Police), the Google Drive account said it's rolling back a "system update to... item limits" that was made to "preserve stability and optimize performance." The tech giant said it only ever impacted a small number of users, but it's now exploring alternative approaches to ensure stable performance for all.
Last week, Twitter said it would start winding down the legacy verified program on April 1st, but over the weekend, that didn't happen, because (according to The Washington Post) unverifying users is a painstaking manual process. Meanwhile, another report indicated around 10,000 of the top-followed sites would retain their legacy checkmarks, even if they didn't subscribe to Twitter Blue. And now, Twitter is displaying the same status for both legacy verified and Twitter Blue subscribers, making it difficult to tell them apart. Twitter said Twitter Blue would cost $1,000 per month for organizations, plus an additional $50 per month for individual affiliates in the US.At the moment, I still have my blue tick, but I am very ready to bid it farewell.– Mat SmithThe Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.The biggest stories you might have missed‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’ preview: Cal, we’re home Bravo's ‘Scandoval’ has made Peacock my number-one streaming app Google Drive now caps the number of files you can create These are the astronauts that will fly on NASA's Artemis 2 mission around the MoonParis votes to ban e-scooter rentalsIt was a landslide at 89 percent, but voter turnout was low.Photo by Steve Dent/EngadgetParis residents have dealt a blow to e-scooter rental companies Lime, Tier and Dott, voting in an 89 percent landslide to ban "trotinettes" from streets amid low voter turnout. The French capital will likely become the second European city after Barcelona to prohibit the devices, as mayor Anne Hidalgo has promised to respect the referendum. Any ban won't affect e-bikes or privately owned scooters.Continue reading.Twitter is covered in Doge for no discernible reasonAn incredibly late April Fool's Day joke.As of Monday afternoon, if you open the Twitter web client, the loading screen and main interface will display an icon depicting Kabosu, the Shiba Inu who inspired the Doge meme, instead of the company’s trademark blue bird. Perhaps the stretched-thin engineering team was simply late on delivering on an April Fools’ project?Continue reading.ASUS' ROG Ally is yet another Steam Deck competitorThe Windows handheld offers better specs, but will it be a better value?After an April 1st announcement that prompted skepticism (don't announce real products on April Fools' Day, folks), ASUS has confirmed it's building its own handheld, the ROG Ally. While the company is light on details, it notes the system will run Windows 11 and use a custom AMD Ryzen chip. You can even plug in an external GPU. The company hasn't shared pricing or release dates. However, you can sign up for an alert when pre-orders begin at Best Buy.Continue reading.Sony’s next pair of budget earbuds will cost $120 when they arrive this monthThe WF-C700N features active noise cancellation and Bluetooth 5.2 support.SonySony has an upcoming pair of budget earbuds with noise cancellation. The WF-C700N will set you back $120 when they come out, $20 more than the WF-C500 model they’re expected to replace. Based on a Best Buy listing spotted by WinFuture, the true wireless buds will be available on April 21st. But Sony's own product page for the earbuds estimates the arrival date of April 17th to 18th.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-twitter-keeps-legacy-verified-blue-ticks-around-for-now-111547044.html?src=rss
Now that Lenovo has given up on Legion gaming smartphones, it can focus on its primary brand: Motorola. To wit, the company just launched a new flagship that offers some of Legion's gaming cred, the Motorola Edge 40 Pro. Some of the impressive features include a fast 165Hz screen, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and extremely fast charging.The Edge 40 uses a screen that curves inward, even at the top, for what Moto calls "unparalleled comfort" — though anyone who's ever owned a curved screen phone knows they tend to slip in your hands. It comes with an anti-fingerprint coating on the front and anti-glare glass inlay on the back, with both sides protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus.The 6.67-inch FHD+ pOLED display runs at up to a 165Hz refresh rate, making it one of the faster flagship phone displays out there And if it's entertainment you're into, it's also the first Motorola phone with Dolby Vision HDR (and HDR10+) playback, offering a bright and accurate view of HDR movies and games. It also uses Dolby Atmos sound, along with a new feature called Moto Spatial Sound for music, movies and games. It sounds a lot like Apple's spatial audio, offering an immersive surround sound experience.For demanding games and tasks, the Edge 40 Pro users Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform, along with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0, the fastest RAM and storage currently available. Meanwhile, the 4,600 mAh battery can be charged at up to 125W, letting you fully juice it in 23 minutes, right up there with the best Android phones.Finally, on the camera front, the Edge 40 Pro has a triple high-res camera system with a 50-megapixel (MP) wide camera that features optical image stabilization (OIS) and phase-detect AF for every pixel. The ultrawide camera is also 50-megapixels, and the third camera is a 12MP 2x telephoto. There's a 60MP selfie pinhole camera up front. Video can be captured in 8K30p, 4K HDR10+ at 30fps, and 4K at up to 60fps. Naturally, it features AI tricks like auto smile capture, Google Lens integration, auto night vision and more.Unfortunately, the Motorola Edge 40 pro will only be available in Europe in the coming days and Latin America a little bit later — there's no sign of US availability so far. It starts at €900 in Europe, a reasonable price for such a high-spec phone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/motorolas-edge-40-pro-offers-125w-fast-charging-and-a-165hz-screen-110018477.html?src=rss
Virgin Orbit has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a few days after officially shutting down its space launch operations. The private space company has been burning money for a while now and reported a loss of $49.2 million in its last fiscal quarter. It tried to raise money in late 2021 by going public through an SPAC merger that was expected to raise $483 million for the company. However, it ultimately got less than half of that amount in gross proceeds.While Virgin Orbit carried on throughout 2022, its financial issues came to a head after its "Start Me Up" mission didn't quite go as expected. It was supposed to be a historic event as the first orbital launch from UK soil, but it failed to reach orbit due to a dislodged fuel filter. The company went into operational pause and furloughed most employees after that, in mid-March, as it sought new investors. And by the end of last month, it extended its employee furlough, because it wasn't able to close any deals.Virgin Orbit's late-stage discussions with Texas-based investor Matthew Brown, who was going to put $200 million into the company, reportedly broke down. It was perhaps the perfect deal for the launch provider, since that amount would've been enough to give the investor a controlling stake. A previous report by CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter said Sir Richard Branson didn't want to own the company anymore, even through the bankruptcy process, and that the Virgin Group had been rushing to find new sources of funding and buyers before the news broke.On March 30th, the company officially shuttered its space launch operations due to lack of funding. It flew a total of six flights from 2020, though only four of which were able to put satellites in orbit. According to Financial Times, Virgin Orbit said it expected to report $33.1 million in revenue and a net loss of around $191 million for the 2022 fiscal year. The company's search for a buyer will now proceed while protected by Chapter 11, though the process could culminate in the business being wound down if it doesn't find a new owner.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/virgin-orbit-files-for-bankruptcy-protection-as-it-seeks-a-buyer-094236877.html?src=rss
Back in 2021, a San Francisco court ordered Tesla to pay Owen Diaz, a former Black contract worker who accused the company of enabling a racist workplace, $137 million in damages. It was one of the highest amounts awarded to an individual suing on the basis of discrimination, but the appeals that followed had lowered it significantly. While US District Judge William Orrick affirmed the jury's original verdict, he found the original damages awarded to Diaz "excessive" and lowered the total to $15 million. Now, a San Francisco federal jury has reduced the amount even further and has ordered Tesla to pay Diaz $3.2 million only.The former elevator operator at Tesla’s Fremont assembly plant rejected the $15 million award Orrick had proposed and instead sought for a retrial. In the latest hearing, Diaz again recounted his experiences working for Tesla, where he said he and his fellow Black workers were subjected to racial slurs. He also said that he was made to feel unsafe at work and that other workers left drawings of swastika and racist graffiti, such as Inki the Caveman, in his workspace and the company restrooms.Diaz's lawyers urged the jury to penalize Tesla, a company currently worth over $600 billion, an amount that will get its attention. But Tesla's lawyer Alex Spiro reportedly argued that Diaz should only be awarded half his salary. He apparently characterized Diaz as a liar in court, who misstated how long he worked at the automaker and who exaggerated his testimonies and the abuse he suffered to gain a bigger payout.We may not be seeing the end to this case, though. According to the Los Angeles Times, Diaz's lawyer believes the jury decided on awarding him only $3 million in punitive damages and $175,000 in non-economic damages because he was wrongly attacked by the defense. He said Tesla's strategy to "minimize and sanitize" worked and that he has already filed a request for a new trial due to "misconduct."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jury-reduces-teslas-137-million-racism-lawsuit-penalty-to-32-million-060414307.html?src=rss
When Rode released the original Wireless GO, it was an instant success. The ease of use, audio quality and reasonable price made wireless microphones much more accessible. In fact it was so successful that it spawned a number of copycat products from rivals. After releasing the Wireless GO II ($299) with dual mics, the company is back with a more affordable option - the $149 Wireless ME. There’s also a new video app called Rode Capture aimed at creators which offers tight integration with the Wireless ME and other products from the company.If you’re thinking “more affordable” means fewer features, then you’d be right. But also you might be surprised. Even though there initially appears to be just one transmitter (mic) and one receiver, the latter also has a mic built-in so you can still record two speakers at the same time with their own separate audio files. That said, Rode is calling the second mic the “ME mic” and describes it as a “narrator” microphone because you can’t use it wirelessly (it’s the one that plugs into your recording device) so it can only really be used by someone off camera. That obviously is no problem if you’re not recording video, but worth knowing if you are.There are, of course, other minor compromises. For one, the receiver doesn’t have any type of display, so visual feedback for connectivity is limited to a pair of LEDs. There doesn’t appear to be any feedback for gain levels at all. There’s also no onboard storage for recording away from a camera, computer or a phone. This also means there’s no option to record a safety track at a lower gain level which, given the lack of a way to see levels means you’ll have to really be sure you have everything set right up front. As a reminder, though, the ME is half the price of the GO II.Photo by James Trew / EngadgetThere are tools to help, though. The Wireless ME comes with a feature called GainAssist which internally monitors the signal and sets levels automatically depending on your environment and the volume of the subject. This definitely helps keep things from clipping, but you can still go into the red with it. It appears to be using either a limiter or compression (or both) but you can still make it go into the red. There’s a “dynamic” mode too for when recording things with a more consistent volume than speech.In terms of range, you can expect about 100 meters / 328 feet (line of sight) but in practice this can vary a little in either direction depending on the conditions. This is a shorter range than the Wireless GO II (200 meters / 656 feet) and DJI’s Mic (250 meters / 820 feet) but likely ample for most scenarios. As for battery life, it’s a respectable seven hours but there’s no charging case as with DJI or Anker’s solutions.With no way to change settings directly on the device, you’ll want to get familiar with the Rode Central app. It’s here where you’ll be able to turn the receiver’s microphone on or off if you want to use it, change whether it records to one or two separate files (if using both mics) and adjust the gain settings. There are versions for both desktop and mobile (Android/iOS) so you can change modes on the go, even if it’s a bit more involved than doing it on the receiver as with DJI and Anker’s products.Given that the narrator-guest setup isn’t ideal for recording two speakers on camera at the same time it's a shame that the receiver doesn't have the option to plug an external 3.5mm lav mic into it. This would mean you could theoretically run one with a longer cable and have two on camera hosts. You can still use 3.5mm mics with the main transmitter though. Alternatively, if you have access to another transmitter, such as a Wireless GO II, you can pair it with the ME’s receiver and record up to three people at the same time – though two of them will have to share an audio channel in case having separate files for all speakers is important to you.RodeThe interoperability between the Wireless GO II and the ME shows that Rode is thinking about how these products can work together, meaning creators can collaborate seamlessly with their own gear or continue using older products even as new ones come around. Expect to see more interoperability with other wireless devices in the future.Along with the new microphone kit is the aforementioned Capture app. It’s a dedicated video app with a twist: direct access to the settings of compatible Rode microphones. Most video apps don’t even let you know what mic you’re using which can cause anxiety when you’re not sure it’s working with the one you plugged in. Having this assurance alone is useful and the direct access to microphone settings is always going to be a welcome bonus for creators. The app is entirely free and doesn’t require a Rode product to work but will need one of Rode's compatible products if you wish to access its settings.The Wireless ME is available for $149 starting today.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rodes-wireless-me-squeezes-a-second-mic-into-its-receiver-000009619.html?src=rss
Spotify is shutting down Spotify Live, the company told Music Ally on Monday. Previously known as Spotify Greenroom, the standalone live audio app came out of Spotify’s $62 million acquisition of Betty Labs in 2021. Shortly after the deal went through, Spotify rebranded the startup’s Locker Room app to Spotify Greenroom, and expanded the scope of the experience to include topics outside of sports. Then, almost exactly a year ago, the streaming giant renamed the platform yet again and integrated some of its functionality into the main Spotify app.“After a period of experimentation and learnings around how Spotify users interact with live audio, we’ve made the decision to sunset the Spotify Live app,” a Spotify spokesperson told Music Ally. “We believe there is a future for live fan-creator interactions in the Spotify ecosystem; however, based on our learnings, it no longer makes sense as a standalone app. We have seen promising results in the artist-focused use case of ‘listening parties,’ which we will continue to explore moving forward to facilitate live interactions between artists and fans.”Spotify did not immediately respond to Engadget’s request for comment. However, the company shared confirmation of the impending shutdown with TechCrunch. When Spotify first announced it was moving into live audio at the height of the medium in 2021, CEO Daniel Ek predicted the format would become ubiquitous. "Just like Stories with video where every major platform has them as one way for its audience to communicate with each other, I see live audio similarly," he said at the time. "I expect all the platforms to have it."However, at the end of last year, the company canceled a host of live audio shows, signaling a scaling back of its previous ambitions. It’s worth noting Spotify is not the only company to pull back from the format. Last May, Facebook parent company meta announced it was shutting down a host of audio products, including Soundbites, the short-form audio-sharing tool it introduced in 2021.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-is-shutting-down-its-standalone-live-audio-app-211056429.html?src=rss
ASUS isn't going to let the likes of Ayaneo or Valve have the handheld gaming PC market to themselves. After an April 1st announcement that prompted skepticism (don't announce real products on April Fools' Day, folks), ASUS has confirmed that it's building its own handheld, the ROG Ally. While the company is light on details, it notes the system will run Windows 11 and use a custom AMD Ryzen chip. You can even plug in an external GPU.As The Vergenotes, YouTuber Dave 2D has learned that the ROG Ally has a 7-inch touchscreen, but it's a 16:9 ratio 1080p display with a 120Hz refresh rate versus the Steam Deck's 16:10 panel that only manages 800p and 60Hz. Despite this, ASUS' handheld is narrower, thinner and slightly lighter than Valve's machine. It's not clear how that screen will affect battery life.The company hasn't shared pricing or release dates. However, you can sign up for an alert when pre-orders begin at Best Buy.Whether or not the ROG Ally does well largely depends on its price and performance relative to the Steam Deck (starting at $399) and higher-end handhelds like the $850 Ayaneo 2. As ASUS' early marketing suggests, though, there are potentially strong advantages. Unlike the Steam Deck, which is officially limited to running games in your Steam library (and only some, at that), the Ally can theoretically run most any game its hardware can handle. And while brands like Ayaneo and GPD are relatively small, ASUS is a major name — you'll likely have an easier time finding the Ally.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/asus-rog-ally-is-yet-another-steam-deck-competitor-204535105.html?src=rss
The US Department of Justice has settled a lawsuit it filed Monday with Activision Blizzard over suppressed eSports wages, according toReuters. The case, submitted in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, focuses on a rule that required independently owned teams to effectively pay double if they passed a soft salary cap. A federal judge will still need to approve the settlement.The complaint, the fruit of an investigation first reported in 2021, said that in Activision’s Overwatch and Call of Duty leagues, the “competitive balance tax” was structured to penalize teams if their compensation exceeded a threshold set by Activision. “While players in other professional sports leagues have agreed to salary restrictions as part of collective bargaining agreements, the players in Activision’s esports leagues are not members of a union and never negotiated or bargained for these rules,” the DOJ clarified in the filing.The case states that Activision would fine teams one dollar for every dollar that exceeded the cap — and redistribute the collected fees among all non-offending teams. For example, the filing says that “if Activision set a Competitive Balance Tax threshold of $1 million, a team that spent $1.2 million on player compensation in a season would pay a $200,000 fine, which would be distributed to the other teams.”Additionally, the Antitrust Division filed a proposed consent decree that would bar Activision from imposing any further rules that would penalize a team for exceeding a set amount of compensation. It would also require the company to certify that “it has ended all Competitive Balance Taxes in its professional esports leagues, to implement revised antitrust compliance and whistleblower protection policies, and to provide notice and an explanation of the final judgment to teams and players in its professional esports leagues.”According to the DOJ, the Overwatch and Call of Duty leagues have generated millions of dollars. Microsoft is trying to clear regulatory hurdles to move forward with its planned purchase of Activision Blizzard.“Video games and esports are among the most popular and fastest growing forms of entertainment in the world today, and professional esports players—like all workers—deserve the benefits of competition for their services. Activision’s conduct prevented that from happening,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter from the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s lawsuit makes clear that the Antitrust Division remains committed to protecting workers across all types of industries from anticompetitive conduct.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/activision-blizzard-settles-doj-lawsuit-over-esports-wage-suppression-202452240.html?src=rss
I don’t know about you, but when Elon Musk took Twitter over last fall, the last thing I had on my bingo card was a Doge takeover of the website. Yet here we are. As of Monday afternoon, if you open the Twitter web client, the loading screen and main interface will display an icon depicting Kabosu, the Shiba Inu who inspired the Doge meme, instead of the company’s trademark blue bird.
You might not want to use Google Drive for large system backups or other many-file transfers. Ars Technica has learned Google quietly instituted a user "creation limit" of 5 million files sometime in February. As Reddit user ra13 discovered, personal (Google One) and business (Google Workspace) users get an error message if they try to directly upload any files past that ceiling. The cap doesn't apply to shared files, which are already limited to 400,000 items.In a statement, Google says the file cap is meant to prevent abuses that might hurt the "stability and safety" of Drive. This isn't a limit on the total number of files in a drive. The number of affected users is "vanishingly small," the company adds.The main problem, as you might imagine, is that there's a chance you'll reach the file limit before you run out of the storage you've paid for. Ra13 estimated that a user with a 2TB Google One account may face that dilemma if the average file size is 400KB or less. While Google is right that won't likely be an issue for most people, it could be problematic for fans of cloud backups or pros whose apps produce a flood of small files.Moreover, Google hasn't publicly acknowledged the cap until now. The company's product and support pages don't mention the file creation limit. There's also no counter, so you don't know exactly how many files you'll need to delete or compress to make room for more. The lack of transparency has left some users racing to either trim their Drive libraries or find alternatives without similar restrictions.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-drive-now-caps-the-number-of-files-you-can-create-191230988.html?src=rss
The Yale Assure Lock 2 can automatically open your door, takes voice commands and let guests in with a code. Right now at Amazon, the keyless configuration of the smart lock is down to its lowest price since its debut, with a 17 percent discount that makes it $216 instead of $260. The deal applies to the black finish only — the nickel finish is seeing a nine percent, or $15, discount and the bronze version is full price. The discounted model includes both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and has a touchscreen keypad for access for visitors or when you're not using your phone. Best Buy is offering the same discount, so if you prefer shopping there, you can still save.We were impressed with the lock, giving it a particularly high score of 87 in our review. In most cases, it only requires a Phillips head screwdriver to install and it took our reviewer about a half hour, and that included some minor troubleshooting with customer service. Keep in mind that this replaces your entire deadbolt, so it may not be an option for renters. Once installed, you can assign multiple entry codes for different family members or other visitors and the lock instantly notifies you of anyone who's gained access.Primary users can set up the Assure Lock 2 to open when their Apple Watch is nearby, or by using the app on a smartphone or home hub/smart display. The lock also works with voice controls using any smart home assistant, but requires a spoken pin for added security. Exposing any system to remote access capabilities can leave room for exploitation, so Yale includes two-layer encryption, two-factor authentication and biometric verification to make things more secure.One drawback is that the lock uses disposable AA batteries. Due to fire safety regulations, there's no option for a rechargeable battery pack. If the batteries happen to die when you're out an about, you can hold a 9-volt battery up to the bottom of the lock to give it enough juice to let you in so you can swap out the cells.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/yales-assure-lock-2-is-down-to-its-lowest-price-ever-182029122.html?src=rss
Sony has an upcoming pair of budget earbuds that come with noise cancellation. The WF-C700N will set you back $120 when they come out, $20 more than the WF-C500 model they’re expected to replace. Based on a Best Buy listing spotted by WinFuture’s Roland Quandt, the true wireless buds will be available on April 21st. But Sony's own product page for the earbuds says they have an estimated arrival date of April 17th to 18th.As Android Police notes, the WF-C700N will offer active noise cancellation, thanks to the inclusion of Sony’s “Noise Sensor Technology.” You can easily switch between noise cancellation and ambient sound mode, though, by pushing a button on the earbuds. Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity means the earbuds will also support two simultaneous connections. Additionally, the WF-C700N will carry over a few features from the WF-C500, including Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine for restoring lost detail in Bluetooth audio and IPX4-certified splash protection.MySmartPriceBattery life comes in at 15 hours total with the included charging case. The earbuds alone can last up to seven-and-a-half hours with noise cancellation on and up to 10 hours without. For comparison, you can get up to 20 hours of total playtime from the WF-C500, but then they don’t feature noise cancellation. While it would've been nice to see aptX and LDAC support, the new headphones limit you to SBC and AAC, just like the WF-C500. If that works just fine for you, you can now pre-order the earbuds are in black, white or violet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-next-pair-of-budget-earbuds-will-reportedly-cost-120-when-they-arrive-this-month-180247649.html?src=rss
Late last year, Nintendo announced that it would be establishing a joint venture called Nintendo Systems with mobile developer DeNA, and now the company has officially launched, right on time. So what exactly will Nintendo Systems make? Things are still murky. There is an official website but that is about where the information ends. A press release from November states that the company will work to “strengthen the digitalization of Nintendo’s business” and create new “value-added services.”Nintendo and DeNA have been closely tied together since 2015, as the latter developed a number of mobile titles based on Nintendo IPs. This relationship allowed for the release of popular smartphone games like Super Mario Run, Mario Kart Tour and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, among others. So one likely outcome here is that the just-announced Nintendo Systems will develop and publish forthcoming mobile titles.There is another, less-glamorous, option. In addition to developing mobile games, DeNA also handles some of the infrastructure regarding Nintendo Accounts services. Nintendo has stated that they will continue to use dedicated Nintendo Accounts moving forward into new console generations, so the new company could just be a way to keep everything in-house.After all, the website also suggests Nintendo Systems will assist with the “development and operation of systems related to the digital part of Nintendo’s business." This is a loose translation from Japanese, though it certainly sounds boring enough to be related to accounts stuff. We reached out to Nintendo for some clarification and will update this post when we know more. In the meantime, there are just a few more weeks until that Breath of the Wild sequel drops.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-and-mobile-giant-dena-launch-mysterious-nintendo-systems-subsidiary-175102761.html?src=rss
You no longer have to fret about missing an act during YouTube's live Coachella streams. The company has confirmed that, for the first time, it will stream all six stages during both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which kicks off April 14th, 2023 at 7PM Eastern and resumes April 21st at the same time. Previously, you had to make do with three streams. Replays will be available until the next day kicks off.To no one's surprise, YouTube is using Coachella to pitch its services. Premium subscribers will have access to backstage "pre-parties," while Shorts creators can use their videos to influence the set lists of Calvin Harris, Becky G and Burna Boy. You can also expect special merch drops during the streams, and you can watch through the YouTube Music app in addition to YouTube itself.Coachella 2023 has a packed lineup. The headliners include artists like Bad Bunny, Blackpink and Frank Ocean. There's also a mix of up-to-the-minute and legendary stars, including Bjork, Underworld, Yaeji and Wet Leg. YouTube's expanded coverage lets you indulge your personal preferences instead of having to 'settle' for some musicians. We'd add that tickets for the first weekend are already sold out as of this writing — this may be the only way you can attend some gigs this year.There's no mystery behind YouTube's strategy. This is less about direct revenue and more about getting YouTube's name into the spotlight. In theory, you may drift away from TikTok and other video apps competing for your free time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtube-will-livestream-all-six-coachella-stages-this-year-164557188.html?src=rss
Have you heard about the Scandoval? I asked a handful of friends this question over the past week, and a surprising number confirmed this strange new word had recently popped up in their news feeds, attached to stories from The New York Times, CNN and Vanity Fair. My friends didn’t quite know what it was, aside from the vague notion that it was related to the Real Housewives shows. More importantly, they didn’t know why it was being recommended to them, considering they didn’t follow Bravo shows or reality television.That’s because this is the March Madness of reality TV. The Scandoval is an explosive cheating scandal involving the cast of Vanderpump Rules — and it’s unfolding in real time, with cameras on, allowing viewers to look for signs of deceit in every scene as it airs. There are clear villains and an obvious heroine, and it’s all leading up to the reunion, which was filmed at the end of March and has already provided a drip feed of drama and staged paparazzi encounters. The Scandoval is so monumental in the Bravo multiverse that it’s culturally important for people outside of this bubble to know what’s going on — just like folks who don’t follow sports are subjected to the NCAA’s media cycle every year.The Real Housewives of MiamiJeff Daly/PeacockIt’s not all about the Scandoval, either. This is a golden era for Bravo and its streaming home, Peacock. Nearly every Housewives franchise is popping off in its own special way, and many of them are making mainstream news headlines: Jen Shah of Salt Lake City was just sentenced to six and a half years in prison for running a telemarketing scam and her surprise arrest was caught on camera; Erika Jayne of Beverly Hills continues to display obscene greed as her estranged husband, disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi, is federally indicted on charges he stole millions of dollars from victims of corporate malfeasance. Miami, a streaming-only series exclusive to Peacock, just wrapped a beautiful fifth season and cemented itself as a blueprint for future Housewives shows; Ultimate Girls Trip, a crossover event that brings wives together like the third act of a Marvel film, is in its third season and already serving hype for its fourth. Married to Medicine continues to be a powerful, captivating and hilarious franchise centered on Black women and doctors in Georgia, and it’s bringing in a notorious wife from the Atlanta history books for its upcoming season.That’s not even all of it, and the above list doesn’t address the biggest bit of Bravo drama happening right now: the Scandoval. Here’s a brief summary, for the culture: Vanderpump Rules is a spin-off of Beverly Hills starring the servers and bartenders of trendy Los Angeles restaurants. Its tenth season is currently airing, and as it kicked off, news broke that Tom Sandoval, a bar owner with Peter Pan syndrome, had been cheating on his partner of nine years, Ariana Madix, with a younger cast member named Raquel Leviss for the past six months. Details about the affair have been dripping out online — lightning bolt necklaces will never be the same — and viewers are scouring each new episode for signs of the pair’s lies. Meanwhile, Bravo picked cameras back up after the affair came to light, and the mid-season trailer promises intense, intimate reactions from everyone involved, plus plenty of vengeful edits for Ariana. The reunion is poised to be a spectacle like Bravo has never seen.Vanderpump RulesNicole Weingart/BravoTo put it back in sports terms: The Scandoval is like David Beckham cheating on Victoria with Emma Bunton. Or like Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife starting a relationship with Michael Jordan’s son — a storyline that literally happened on the latest season of Miami. See? As Quad said on season nine of Married to Medicine when asked whether she’d cheated on past boyfriends, our cup runneth over.This all means Peacock is getting my money for the foreseeable future, no high-budget original series required. I mean, I loved Poker Face, but I haven’t thought about it much since watching the final episode of season one. Housewives and its related series live outside of the app, on message boards and social media and podcasts, filling the silence even between seasons. Meanwhile, the Scandoval is driving viewership for Peacock, where Vanderpump is available to stream next-day. Peacock is also the only place to watch Miami and Ultimate Girls Trip, two shows that already make it essential in my own app lineup. I never expected to get so much use out of an NBC streaming service, but here we are.The next app to get my business will be whichever one picks up Married at First Sight Australia. If you’ve made it to this point in this article — a Real Housewives fever dream somehow published on a technology website — do yourself a favor and find a way to watch it (in between Vanderpump Rules episodes, of course).This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bravos-scandoval-has-made-peacock-my-number-one-streaming-app-163020121.html?src=rss
NASA has finally named the astronauts that will orbit the Moon during the Artemis 2 mission. Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Hammock Koch will fly for the US, while the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen will represent his country. The crew will spend up to 21 days aboard an Orion capsule that will spend about 42 hours in high Earth orbit before touring the Moon and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.Hammock Koch is best known for the longest stay in space by a female astronaut. Wiseman, meanwhile, is a Navy pilot who was also a test pilot in the F-35 Lightning II program. Glover made history by participating in the first operational Crew Dragon mission in 2021. Hansen is a fighter pilot and one of four current Canadian astronauts.If Artemis 2 remains on track, it should launch in November 2024 and will represent the first time humans have flown to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Artemis 1, an uncrewed lunar flyby mission, launched in November last year and broke an Apollo flight record with its roughly 26-day trip. People won't land on the Moon until Artemis 3's scheduled launch in December 2025. That mission will use a variant of SpaceX's Starship for the actual landing.NASA has been steadily building publicity for Artemis in recent months. In March, it unveiled the spacesuit for the Artemis 3 landing. The Axiom Space-made prototype accommodates more body types and is more flexible, letting astronauts kneel and otherwiseThe crew selection comes as NASA appears to have overcome the setbacks that plagued its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, including engine trouble, fuel leaks, Hurricane Ian and Tropical Storm Nicole. With that said, the agency originally wanted an Artemis lunar landing in 2024. The current timeline assumes there won't be any significant technical hurdles, and there are no guarantees of that between SpaceX's ongoing Starship issues (it still hasn't conducted an orbital flight test) and the inherent challenges of putting people on the Moon.Developing...This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/these-are-the-astronauts-that-will-fly-on-nasas-artemis-2-mission-around-the-moon-153603296.html?src=rss
About an hour into my time with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Cal Kestis, the game’s protagonist, reunites with Greez Dritus, the cranky pilot from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The two embrace after five years apart, one of Greez's four arms now replaced by a robotic prosthetic. It's a moment that encapsulates how I felt playing the upcoming game at a recent preview event Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment held in Los Angeles. Playing Jedi: Survivor feels like reuniting with a friend you haven’t seen in a few years.Right from the start, Jedi: Survivor feels like a more refined Jedi:Fallen Order. The preview began on Koboh, one of the first planets players will visit when they get their hands on the game later this month. Exploring Koboh is immediately compelling since Cal has all the abilities he rediscovered by the end of Jedi:Fallen Order, plus a new grappling hook for quickly traversing across some gaps. Cal also feels more satisfying to control, as there’s more weight and precision to his movements. When he jumps, he doesn’t float the way he did in Jedi:Fallen Order. In combat, Cal feels more deadly and proficient with his lightsaber.“Cal has a bit of swagger now, and that was intentional. We wanted the player to feel that,” Game Director Stig Asmussen tells me during a break from the preview. “Keep in mind [Jedi:Fallen Order] was the first time for us,” he says. Before Jedi: Fallen Order, those who worked at the studio were best known for creating first-person shooters like Titanfall and Call of Duty. “We were learning while we were making that game – we’re still learning – but as we were building it, we got better at building it.”Respawn Entertainment / EAAsmussen and his team have also hit a comfortable stride in executing the specific demands of the series they’re building. Take Koboh, for instance. I can safely say it is larger and more intricate than Zeffo, Jedi:Fallen Order’s most fully realized planet. Asmussen recommended those of us at the event stick to the game’s critical path to see as much as the preview had to offer, but I couldn’t help but get sidetracked by all the optional content I found on Koboh. One of my favorite discoveries involved an ancient ruin with a particularly devious puzzle inside that had me stumped for a few minutes. Another highlight involved investigating an abandoned mine that it turned out was home to a deadly rancor.Koboh also does something surprising for the series. Early in his first visit to the planet, Cal comes across a small settlement of people trying to eke out an existence away from both the Empire and a local gang of raiders. The game offers a few options here. Cal can talk with the townsfolk, take on a side quest to explore the aforementioned mine and trade with a merchant who will give you cosmetics in exchange for crystals you can find throughout the game. Cal can also visit a canteen full of colorful characters, including a smooth-talking droid bartender named MXNK-6. The inclusion of a hub world might not be mechanically groundbreaking, but it goes a long way to making Koboh feel less like a level in a video game and more like a place that could actually exist in a galaxy far, far away.“We’ve gotten better as storytellers,” Asmussen says. "There were very important decisions we had to nail down while making the first game – like how high could Cal jump – before we could have conversations about how to decorate this corner to make it feel like an authentic, lived-in space.”I didn’t progress far enough in the game to unlock some of Cal’s more exciting new tools, including the crossguard lightsaber and blaster pistol, but at the end of the preview, I did get to see a Respawn developer put those weapons to use. In combination with his Force powers, Cal’s new armaments allow for more creative ways to approach combat. At one point in the showcase, the dev lifted all of the scout troopers in front of him, and then proceeded to shoot them all out of the air with a series of rapid blaster bolts. It wasn’t a very Jedi way of dispatching Cal’s enemies, but I would be lying if I told you it didn’t look cool.One other thing the dev did was use Cal’s entire move set, including all five of his available combat stances, without resting at a meditation circle to switch between them. In the preview, I could only map two of Cal’s available stances to the d-pad. The combat showcase was the last thing Respawn showed during the preview, so I didn’t get a chance to ask questions about what I saw. But if I had to take a guess, you can eventually freely switch between all of Cal’s combat styles.Respawn Entertainment / EAIf that sounds intimidating, you’re free to play Jedi:Survivor like an RPG. Cal’s progression occurs across multiple skill trees, with each one dedicated to a different aspect of his kit. Additionally, there’s a new perk system that allows you to further augment Cal’s combat abilities. Asmussen said it’s possible to earn enough skill points to unlock all of Cal’s skills, but you can also choose to specialize in the combat abilities that fit your playstyle. On that note, there are also more options for customizing Cal’s appearance. The clothing system is more robust, allowing you to change individual parts of Cal’s outfit. You can also give him different haircuts and beards.At the end of the preview, I left even more excited to play Star Wars Jedi: Survivor than when I first arrived at the event. I will say it does feel like a safe sequel. I didn’t get to see some of the game’s more interesting new mechanics, including Cal’s newfound ability to tame mounts and fight with NPC companions, but I doubt those additions will transform the series into something it wasn’t before. If Jedi:Fallen Order didn’t do it for you, Jedi:Survivor is unlikely to change your mind. For everyone else, I think what you can expect is a bigger and better realization of Respawn’s original vision. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on April 28th.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/star-wars-jedi-survivor-preview-cal-were-home-150301468.html?src=rss
The Apple Watch SE is back on sale for $219 at Amazon and Best Buy, bringing what was already one of the better values on the wearable market within $10 of the lowest price we've tracked. Though we've seen this deal a few times since the SE launched last September, it's still $30 off Apple's MSRP and about $20 off the device's usual street price. Note that this offer is for the 40mm model; if you want the larger 44mm case size, that variant is down to $249, which is a slightly less significant discount.We gave the second-generation Apple Watch SE a review score of 89 last year, and we currently note it as the top pick for first-time or budget-sensitive buyers in our guide to the best smartwatches. Compared to the flagship Apple Watch Series 8, the SE lacks more advanced health-tracking features like a skin temperature sensor, ECG monitor and blood oxygen sensor, and its slightly smaller display doesn't have an always-on mode, so it's more cumbersome for checking the time. It also charges slower than the Series 8 or higher-end Apple Watch Ultra. For the most part, though, it provides the usual Apple Watch feature set at a lower price, with notifications, heart-rate monitoring, crash detection and a similar-looking, water-resistant design. This second-gen model runs on the same S8 processor as its pricier siblings, too, so it's just as fast in day-to-day use.That processor bump is the biggest upgrade from the first-gen Apple Watch SE, but most people with that device shouldn't feel the need to upgrade here. Instead, this model is best for folks upgrading from an older Apple Watch (say, a Series 4 or older) or iPhone owners looking to buy an Apple wearable for the first time without spending more than $300. If that describes you, this deal should make the device a bit more approachable.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-watch-se-drops-back-to-219-144032655.html?src=rss
Amazon is running a sale on Kindle e-readers just in time for outdoor reading, and there are a few good deals in the mix. The company is selling the base Kindle with lock screen ads for $80, or $20 off. That's near an all-time low, and makes it an easy pick if you want a compact, no-frills device for reading on the park bench. The sale also drops the price of the 8GB Kindle Paperwhite to $100, or $40 off.Last fall's refresh of the entry-level Kindle helped it catch up to the Paperwhite in a big way. The 300PPI display is much easier on the eyes, and the longer six-week battery life helps you leave the charger at home. Factor in USB-C charging and double the storage (16GB) and you may have all you need to clear your reading backlog.There are reasons to consider buying more advanced models, of course. The Kindle Paperwhite offers a larger screen, beach-friendly water resistance and an adjustable warm light. You can even charge wirelessly if you buy the Paperwhite Signature Edition (on sale for $140). However, those are more perks than must-haves. The starter Kindle covers the essentials well, and may even be preferable if you're looking for a small e-reader that can tuck into a bag's side pocket.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-kindle-is-back-on-sale-for-80-132616309.html?src=rss
Netflix released at least one movie a week over the past two years – I challenge you to name them all! – but for 2023, the company is changing course. According to Bloomberg, the streaming giant is restructuring its movie division and releasing fewer movies overall. Despite the sheer number of titles Netflix previously released, only a few had won accolades, attained significant hours of streaming, or had the kind of cultural impact some of the biggest blockbusters had achieved. (According to the company's Top 10 page, its most-watched movies for 2021 and 2022 include Red Notice, Don't Look Up and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.)Netflix ramped up its film development after studios started building their own streaming services instead of licensing their movies to the company. This restructuring will combine the team working on small projects with a budget of $30 million or less and the unit that produces mid-budget films that cost $30 million to $80 million. There’s also a big-budget arm to its film development unit – likely involved with the aforementioned hits. No word yet on whether the restructuring will affect that part of the business.– Mat SmithThe Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.The biggest stories you might have missedTesla sets new company record after delivering more than 422,000 EVs in Q1 2023SpaceX’s Starship will carry an SUV-sized rover to the Moon in 2026Hitting the Books: Sputnik's radio tech launched a revolution in bird migration researchJapan joins US-led effort to restrict China's access to chipmaking equipment Breaking BardTesting the limits of today's leading AI chatbots.EngadgetThe generative AI race is on, and the current frontrunners appear to be Google's Bard and Microsoft's Bing AI, which is powered by ChatGPT. But what are the limits to the questions it can answer? We asked Google’s Bard chatbots a series of questions to see which is better at delivering facts, replacing us at our jobs or participating in existential debates. We also looked at their speed, transparency and how likely they were to break if we started to push its buttons And don’t worry, Bing AI got the same treatment.Continue reading.Apple wins appeal against UK antitrust probe into its mobile browserThrough a technicality.Apple won an appeal against an investigation launched by the UK’s antitrust watchdog last fall. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened a full probe into Apple and Google in November. At the time, the regulator said that many UK businesses felt restricted by the “stranglehold” the two tech giants had on mobile browsing. The probe also sought to determine if Apple was restricting the cloud gaming market through its App Store rules. The company said the CMA should have opened the probe at the same time it first published its report on mobile ecosystems last June. The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), the court that oversees CMA cases, agreed with Apple, saying the regulator gave notice of its investigation too late.Continue reading.Court rules Elon Musk broke federal labor law with 2018 tweetTesla has also been ordered to rehire a worker that it illegally fired.According to a federal appeals court, Elon Musk broke US labor law in 2018 when he tweeted that Tesla factory workers would forgo stock options if they chose to unionize. In May 2018, a Twitter user asked Musk about his union stance. “Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted,” he tweeted in response. “But why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing? Our safety record is 2X better than when plant was UAW & everybody already gets healthcare.” Tesla has argued the tweet was Musk’s way of pointing out that workers at other automakers don’t receive stock options. The court ordered Musk to delete the tweet. As of the writing of this article, the tweet is still there.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-netflix-plans-to-make-fewer-better-movies-111522164.html?src=rss
Twitter's handling of verified users continues to shift after a number of developments over the weekend. Last week, Twitter said it would start winding down the legacy verified program on April 1st, but that was limited to specific cases including one called out by CEO Elon Musk. Meanwhile, a new report indicated that around 10,000 of the top-followed sites would retain their legacy checkmarks, even if they didn't subscribe to Twitter Blue. And now, Twitter is displaying the same status for both legacy verified and Twitter Blue subscribers, making it difficult to tell them apart.Verified legacy Twitter users were expecting to lose their white-on-blue checkmarks over the weekend, after the Twitter Verified account tweeted it would start stripping them on April 1st. For the most part, however, that didn't happen, reportedly because un-verifying users is a painstaking manual process (Musk tweeted in a now-deleted message that legacy users would be given "a few weeks grace"). However, Twitter did strip a verified badge from The New York Times after the site said it wouldn't pay for Twitter Blue, in an apparent fit of pique by CEO Elon Musk. He later labeled the site as "propaganda."
Paris residents have dealt a blow to e-scooter rental companies Lime, Tier and Dott, voting in an 89 percent landslide to ban "trotinettes" from streets amid low voter turnout, France 24 has reported. The French capital will likely become the second European city after Barcelona to prohibit the devices, as mayor Anne Hidalgo has promised to respect the referendum. Any ban won't affect e-bikes or privately-owned scooters.Following a messylaunch in 2018, Paris introduced strict rules and reduced the number of rental companies from around 20 to just three. A spate of accidents ensued including a 2021 fatality, prodding the city to introduce new rules like a 10 km/h (6 MPH) speed limit in designated zones and fines for for not using dedicated parking. However, residents continued to complain about dangerous operation and devices strewn on city sidewalks.Only eight percent of city dwellers voted, and that group appeared to skew away from younger people more likely to use the devices. "In the double queue here, a majority of 50+ and parents with toddlers," tweeted journalist Agnes Poirier. "Incapable of regulating their use, the City of Paris is just leaving it to its inhabitants in an all or nothing alternative."The move may be welcomed by some, but it goes against Hidalgo's initiatives to make Paris less polluted and dependent on cars. As part of a pledge to be carbon neutral by 2050, the city has vowed to phase out ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles by 2030, plant up to 170,000 trees, install electric chargers for EVs and promote e-mobility, including e-bikes and, at one time, e-scooters.The city has since changed its tune on the latter, though. It noted that the scooters were mostly replacing walking or public transport rather than cars or taxi trips, so weren't achieving the goal of reducing vehicle use. "They’re honestly not very ecological — they get damaged and they are left lying wherever," said Hidalgo back in January, adding that she was personally in favor of a ban. "We can’t contain them in public spaces and they’re causing road safety problems, especially for older and disabled people."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/paris-votes-to-ban-e-scooter-rentals-082352303.html?src=rss
While its next-generation rocket has yet to fly, that’s not stopping SpaceX from booking Starship flights. On Friday, a startup named Astrolab revealed that it had recently signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s private space firm to reserve a spot on an uncrewed Starship cargo mission that could launch as early as mid-2026. “This is SpaceX’s first commercial cargo contract to the lunar surface,” Jaret Matthews, CEO of Astrolab, told The New York Times, adding his company was one of a few customers involved in the flight.Astrolab is building a vehicle it hopes will one day carry equipment, supplies and people across the lunar surface. The Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover is about the size of a Jeep Wrangler, making it a bit bigger than NASA’s Perseverance rover on Mars. It also features a robotic arm for assisting with cargo and can travel up to 15 miles per hour. Oh, and FLEX can carry up to two astronauts.Once it lands on the Moon, Astrolab claims FLEX will become the largest rover to travel the lunar surface. Matthews told The Times Astrolab already has customers waiting to use the rover to carry cargo during the 2026 Starship mission. Looking further to the future, Matthews said FLEX could assist with building a permanent human presence on the Moon and beyond. “Ultimately our goal is to have a fleet of rovers both on the Moon and Mars,” he said. “And I really think I see these vehicles as the catalysts ultimately for the off-Earth economy.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spacexs-starship-will-carry-an-suv-sized-rover-to-the-moon-in-2026-213926510.html?src=rss
Echo smart displays and speakers aren’t the only devices on sale on Amazon this weekend, the retailer has also discounted Ring doorbells, cameras and alarm systems. Nearly every product Ring offers is part of the promotion, including the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2. Thanks to a 30 percent discount, you can get the smart doorbell for $175, instead of $250 at its usual price. Other notable discounts include a $40 price drop on both the plug-in and battery models of Ring Spotlight Cam Plus. You can also save $40 on Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro, in either black and white.Although it’s a few years old now, the Ring Doorbell Pro 2 is still one of the best smart home doorbells you can buy. Ring refreshed the Pro 2 in 2021, equipping the device with a 1,536p video camera and a new fish eye lens. Thanks to those features, the Pro 2 offers a 150-degree field of view, allowing you to see when parcels arrive on your porch. The addition of a radar sensor means the Pro 2 offers more accurate motion detection. As with other Ring devices, you’ll get the most out of the Pro 2 if you already invested in the Alexa ecosystem. For those who prefer Google Assistant, Nest offerings like the Nest Doorbell can be a better choice.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ring-video-doorbells-and-alarm-systems-are-up-to-33-percent-off-right-now-192126054.html?src=rss
Tesla has shared its first production and delivery report of 2023. And in a repeat of its Q4 2022 results, the automaker set a new record for deliveries but fell short of Wall Street estimates. Tesla announced on Sunday it delivered 422,875 EVs during the first three months of the year. It produced 440,808 vehicles during that same period, another record for the company.Going into the weekend, independent analyst Troy Teslike predicted the company was on track to deliver 427,000 vehicles in the first quarter of the year. The company’s final tally represents a 36 percent increase from the 310,048 deliveries it announced during this time last year. It’s also a four percent increase from the 405,278 deliveries it reported in the final quarter of 2022.
The Echo Show 8 is one of Engadget’s favorite smart displays, and it’s on sale right now. At $75 after a $55 discount, the smart display is only $5 more than it was during Black Friday last year. Amazon has also discounted the Echo Show 15 by $55. You can get the company’s largest smart display for just under $225 at the moment. Separately, Amazon is offering up to 35 percent off on Echo speakers. One of the highlights here is the chance to pick up a 5th-generation Echo Dot for just $35.Engadget Senior Editor Nicole Lee awarded the Echo Show 8 a score of 87 in 2021. Despite being a few years old now, the Echo Show 8 is the best smart display for most people. Its 8-inch, 1,280 x 800 resolution display is large enough to make viewing photos and participating in video calls comfortable. At the same, the Echo Show 8’s display isn’t so large it will look out of place in a kitchen or bedroom. Moreover, the Show 8's built-in speakers are also powerful enough to fill a small room, and the device features enough processing power not to feel sluggish. If you’re concerned about your privacy, the Show 8 comes with a physical camera shutter and a mic mute button.Like all of Amazon’s Echo devices, the Show 8 works best if you already own other Alexa-compatible devices. If you’re not in the Amazon ecosystem, the 2nd-gen Google Nest Hub could be a better purchase, particularly if you depend on services like Gmail and GCal. The Nest Hub also doesn’t come with a camera for video calls, which might not be a downside if you value your privacy.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/echo-show-8-drops-to-75-in-new-amazon-devices-sale-155435063.html?src=rss
Japan is officially moving forward with restrictions aimed at limiting China’s access to advanced chipmaking machinery. As CNN reports, the country announced Friday it would tighten export controls on 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Once the new rules take effect in July, companies like Nikon and Tokyo Electron will need to obtain approval from Japan’s trade ministry if they want to sell their tools in some 160 territories across the world. A Japanese government spokesperson told CNN the restrictions aren’t designed to target a specific nation. However, Japan’s east asian rival is among the nations on the restricted list.“We will fulfill our responsibilities in the international community as a technology-owning country and contribute to maintaining international peace and security,” Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan’s minister of economy, trade and industry, told reporters.The restrictions follow the US and Netherlands enacting similar export controls. At the start of the year, the three countries reportedly reached an agreement to limit China’s access to western-made lithography machines. In March, the Netherlands made good on the deal, announcing it would restrict overseas sales of semiconductor technology in the interest of its national security. Those restrictions will affect ASML. As of last year, the Dutch firm was the only company in the world producing the extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machines chipmakers need to make the 5nm and 3nm semiconductors that power the latest phones and computers.China has homegrown firms capable of making up some of the shortfall the country’s tech industry will experience from the lack of access to western-made lithography equipment. However, it may take some time before those companies match the capacity of their American, Japanese and European rivals. According to research from Reuters, Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (SMEE), China’s only producer of lithography equipment, makes machines capable of printing 90nm node semiconductors. More promising is the work of SMIC, the country’s leading semiconductor manufacturer. Last summer, it began volume production of 14nm chips and began making 7nm chips without access to foreign-made equipment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/japan-joins-us-led-effort-to-restrict-chinas-access-to-chipmaking-equipment-214602553.html?src=rss
Elon Musk broke US labor law in 2018 when he tweeted Tesla factory workers would forgo stock options if they chose to unionize, according to a federal appeals court. On Friday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a decision spotted by Business Insider, upheld a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling that found Musk made unlawful threats around employee compensation.In May 2018, a Twitter user asked Musk about his stance on unions. “Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted,” he tweeted in response. “But why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing? Our safety record is 2X better than when plant was UAW & everybody already gets healthcare.”
If you’re in the market for a new ultraportable laptop, one of the best you can buy is on sale right now. While supplies last, you can get the base model M2 MacBook Air – in either Silver or Space Grey – for $1,000. That’s $200 off the MacBook Air’s current $1,200 starting price. It’s also an all-time low for the 2022 model. If interested in the new MacBook Air, we recommend acting fast on this deal.Engadget Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar awarded the M2 MacBook Air a score of 96 last year. Since then, the ultraportable has sat atop our best laptops list, and for good reason. The M2 Air offers a compelling mix of performance, portability and ease of use. It also has a lovely 13.6-inch display and a powerful set of four speakers. What’s more, it’s possible to regularly get more than 16 hours of battery life out of the Air. Many will also appreciate that it only weighs 2.7 pounds and is less than 12 millimeters thick. Outside of a web camera that could be better and a modest 256GB of storage on the base model, there’s very little about the M2 Air that’s not compelling.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-macbook-air-m2-is-on-sale-for-1000-right-now-171756338.html?src=rss
DirecTV users can now watch Ted Lasso without buying extra hardware. The television provider announced today that the Apple TV+ app is now available to install on the company’s DirecTV Stream box.This is the first time Apple’s streaming network has been available on DirecTV Stream, a multipurpose device for subscribers that supports live TV, streaming apps, on-demand content and DVR recordings. The satellite provider launched the device in 2020; subscribers can rent it for $20 per month, and it’s bundled with some premium plans. In addition, it includes a remote control with access to Google Assistant.The Apple TV+ app will include the iPhone maker’s original content like Ted Lasso, Severance and CODA, and access to Apple’s broader library of rentals / purchases for television series and movie rentals. Additionally, it includes in-app support for premium add-ons like AMC+, Paramount+ and Starz. The app is widely available on other streaming devices, including PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, Roku, Fire TV, Google TV and smart TVs from Samsung, LG and others.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-tv-app-is-now-available-for-directv-stream-box-users-214547480.html?src=rss
The US government might not lean solely on lawsuits to limit online ad monopolies. A bipartisan group of senators has introduced the AMERICA Act (Advertising Middlemen Endangering Rigorous Internet Competition Accountability — yes, it's overwrought) with the intention of breaking up the ad businesses of tech giants like Google and Meta.Large digital ad firms (those handling more than $20 billion in transactions) wouldn't be allowed to own both an ad exchange as well as either a demand- or supply-side platform. A supply-side platform owner couldn't own a demand-side system (and vice versa), while those buying and selling ads couldn't own either of the other platforms except to sell their own ad stock.Companies that are medium-sized or larger (those handling over $5 billion in transactions) would also have to make the "best execution" for ad bids rather than deliberately holding back to serve their own operations. They need to be transparent and provide fair access to technical capabilities and data. If they do run businesses on two sides of the market, they have to establish "firewalls" to minimize abuse and conflicts of interest.The bill is sponsored by a seemingly unlikely mix of senators that includes Mike Lee, Amy Klobuchar, Ted Cruz and Elizabeth Warren, among others. They aren't subtle about the ultimate goal: they expect Google and Meta to divest "significant portions" of their ad businesses to comply with the would-be law. Amazon and Apple might also have to take the AMERICA Act into account, the politicians say.The sponsors single out Google as the bill's main target. As with lawsuits from the Justice Department and multiple states, the measure's creators accuse Google of manipulating the ad market in ways that unfairly disadvantage competitors. Google's control over a wide portion of the advertising system allegedly lets it charge "monopoly rents" across much of the internet.We've asked Google and Meta for comment. They've previously fought bills and lawsuits meant to restrict their ad operations.If the AMERICA Act passes, it would deal a significant financial blow. Google and Meta still rely on ad sales as their main sources of revenue, and in some cases use it to prop up other projects. Meta is sinking billions into its metaverse ambitions, as an example. While there's no way of knowing just how much revenue these companies would lose through divestments, they might have to rethink their broader strategies.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/senate-bill-seeks-to-break-up-google-and-meta-ad-businesses-211308768.html?src=rss
Nearly a year after Elon Musk first floated the idea of making Twitter’s recommendation algorithm public, the company has posted the source code for its recommendation algorithm on GitHub. In a Twitter Space discussing the move, Musk said he hoped users would be able to find potential “issues” in the code and help make it better.“Our initial release of the so-called algorithm is going to be quite embarrassing and people are gonna find a lot of mistakes but we're going to fix them very quickly,” Musk said.Notably, the code released Friday only deals with how tweets are shown in Twitter's "For You" feed. The company didn't release the underlying code for its search algorithm or how content is displayed on other parts of Twitter, though Musk said the company would "for sure" open-source the search algorithm as well.In a blog post outlining how Twitter’s recommendations work, the company explained the various steps of the algorithm, including ranking and filtering. But Twitter users have already been finding interesting details in the code itself. For example, Jane Manchun Wong noted that “Twitter’s algorithm specifically labels whether the Tweet author is Elon Musk.” That may offer yet another explanation for why Musk’s tweets appear so often. Wong also noted that the algorithm has labels indicating whether the tweet author is a “power user” as well as whether they are a Republican or Democrat.
California will require more than half of all heavy trucks sold in the state to be electric by 2035. The rule received approval from the Biden administration today, allowing it to take effect next year, according toThe New York Times. California approved the mandate in 2020 but needed an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waiver because it exceeded federal standards.The rule aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. By 2035, it requires 55 percent of delivery vans and small trucks sold in California to be entirely electric-powered. Similarly, 40 percent of tractor-trailers and 75 percent of buses and larger trucks must be all-electric by the same deadline.California Governor Gavin Newsom sees the mandate as a bellwether for the nation. “This is a moment to mark because it’s a preview of the order of magnitude of the change in the industry,” Newsom told The New York Times. “There’s a power in these waivers and that power is emulation. We adopt through these waivers the principles and policies that lead to innovation and investment.” Given the size and centrality of California’s economy (it would be the world’s fifth-biggest economy if it were a sovereign nation), the rule would, in practice, essentially apply nationwide — similar to the state’s ban on sales of gas-powered vehicles by 2035.The trucking industry has criticized the move for its costs and infrastructure requirements. “Drivers don’t want to work in California anymore,” said Jay Grimes, director of federal affairs for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. “They’re skeptical of the rapid timeline on this transition to electric trucks. Can a trucker get a charge that will take them on a highway for two or three days? Is the technology ready for prime time?” He adds that batteries for electric trucks can weigh thousands of pounds more than combustion engines, potentially limiting hauls. Other truckers have questioned whether the charging station rollout will be adequate for long trips. Finally, electric trucks are more expensive, starting at around $100,000 and stretching into high six figures (although the pricing discrepancies compared to gas trucks could drop over time).Unsurprisingly, attorneys general from 17 Republican-led states are suing to block the legislation. That list includes (among others) Texas AG Ken Paxton, who has received over $3.9 million in fossil fuel donations since 2002, and Louisiana AG Jeff Landry, who has raked in over $875,000 from oil and gas industries. Their lawsuit is scheduled for the US Court of Appeals for Washington, DC, later this year and could move to the conservative-dominated US Supreme Court afterward.Clean energy groups acknowledge the mandate’s difficulties but strike an optimistic tone. “There’s a great deal of challenge with the electrification of heavy-duty vehicles,” said Drew Kodjak, executive director of the International Council on Clean Transportation. “But there are elements that lead to optimism.” For example, he points out that government tax incentives and savings from not having to buy gasoline will help with long-term costs. “Companies like FedEx look at the bottom line over the total life span of a vehicle. And when they look long-term, the calculations for this become more optimistic.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/california-will-require-half-of-heavy-truck-sales-to-be-electric-by-2035-200313559.html?src=rss
GOG is winding down its annual Spring Sale, and this is a good opportunity to score some hit games at steep discounts. For starters, Cyberpunk 2077 is down to just $30. If you haven't yet tried the Keanu Reeves-starring action RPG, now might be a good time to jump in.Other major deals tend to revolve around classics. Witcher 3 Complete is available for $15, while the Alien: Isolation Collection is down to $10. Hollow Knight is on sale for $7.50, as isHellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. The enhanced version of the legendary RPG Planescape: Torment is selling for $5, and you can snag XCOM 2for $3. Not that this is the end of the bargains. Over 4,500 titles are discounted, so the odds are that a game you want available on the cheap.The sale ends April 3rd at 6PM Eastern. As of this writing, GOG is also giving away the survival-tinged turn-based combat game Deep Sky Derelicts. All games in the store are DRM-free and thus don't need activation or an internet connection to play. While this won't get you many cutting-edge releases, it might help build your collection — or at least, add to your backlog.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gogs-spring-sale-deals-include-cyberpunk-2077-for-30-193415686.html?src=rss
This isn’t an early April Fool’s gag. Jeep just unveiled a mashup of a 1978 Cherokee with a 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe, a higher-end hybrid SUV, to create a Frankenstein vehicle that is heavy both on delicious retro looks and modern performance metrics. The 1978 Jeep Cherokee 4xe Concept vehicle is an old-school two-door affair with a modern Starburst yellow paint job that could actually be mistaken for a lovingly cared-for, decades-old vehicle.Underneath the hood is where all of the modern technology resides. For the uninitiated, 4xe vehicles are 4x4 plug-in hybrid electric SUVs, so there are “two electric motors, a high-voltage battery pack and a high-tech 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 engine,” as Jeep describes it. An eight-speed automatic transmission and custom 37-inch tires wrapped around 17-inch “slotted mag” style wheels round out the design. The interior is also a custom job, with low-back bucket seats trimmed in leather, a four-point safety cage instead of a rear bench seat and a rear cargo space complete with a full-size spare tire.This is just one of many concept vehicles Jeep unveiled as part of its annual Easter Jeep Safari event held in Moab, UT, where the company likes to show off some wild prototypes. The other highlight is the fully-electric Magneto 3.0 Wrangler prototype, based on the two-door 2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It features a custom-built electric motor that operates up to 6,000 rpm connected to a six-speed manual transmission. That’s right, this EV is a stick shift.JeepJeep has been messing with this Magneto EV concept for a few years, but this year’s version more than doubles the peak amps available in the propulsion system and offers a 20 percent increase in range. The motor delivers up to 900 pounds of torque and 650 horsepower.These are concept/prototype vehicles, so you can’t walk into a local showroom and try one out, though you could see them in person if you are in Utah from April 1st to April 9th. Jeep has been making massive inroads lately in the hybrid and EV space, making good so far on its promise to release hybrid versions of each of its primary models by 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jeep-just-mushed-together-a-1970s-cherokee-with-a-modern-hybrid-wrangler-193056948.html?src=rss
Jack Dorsey’s Twitter alternative Bluesky is still invite-only, but its leaders are sharing more about their vision for the open-source platform. In a new blog post, CEO Jay Graber said that Bluesky intends to create a “marketplace of algorithms” that will allow users to control how content is filtered and sorted.“For developers, an open marketplace of algorithms will provide the freedom to experiment with and publish algorithms that anyone can use,” Graber wrote. “For users, the ability to customize their feed will give them back control of their most valuable resource: their attention.”Bluesky was originally conceived as a Twitter-backed side project to create a new, decentralized standard for social media platforms. But it officially broke off from Twitter in 2021, and has since joined the ranks of upstart Twitter clones that have sprung up following Elon Musk’s takeover of the company,Like much of Bluesky, the idea of an algorithmic marketplace seems to be in a relatively early stage. Graber said Bluesky is currently working on feed APIs for developers, as well as a ‘feed selection system” that will eventually allow users to browse third-party feeds they can integrate into their timelines.Of note, Dorsey has been a longtime proponent of “algorithmic choice” and even raised the idea of an algorithm marketplace while he was still running Twitter. In her post, Graber said that allowing users to choose their own algorithm, including a chronological feed, could address “backlash against the perceived algorithmic manipulation of people’s timelines.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jack-dorseys-bluesky-is-building-a-marketplace-of-algorithms-184601024.html?src=rss
The US Treasury Department issued updated guidance today about which electric vehicles qualify for the federal $7,500 EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that President Biden signed last year. Although the new guidelines add more confusion than clarity, it’s evident that fewer EVs will be eligible.The updated rules target mineral sourcing in EV batteries, stating that they must be sourced from the US and approved trading partners. That rules out China, which is labeled as a “foreign entity of concern.” Although it’s understandable for the US to limit its dependence on its most powerful adversary, most EVs today run on Chinese-made batteries, making the path forward for receiving the credit on purchases made after April 18th as clear as mud.To receive tax credits, battery makers must source a significant portion of their materials and manufacturing from North America. Battery components must be 50 percent made or assembled in North America to qualify for a $3,750 credit; critical minerals must be 40 percent sourced from the US or free trade partners for another $3,750 credit. The requirements grow stricter over time, as batteries must be made 100 percent in North America by 2029.Although some EVs may qualify for partial credits, it’s unclear which models will be eligible after the deadline. “Some EVs will certainly qualify for a partial credit,” said John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, in a statement to Autoblog. “Given the constraints of the legislation, Treasury's done as well as it could to produce rules that meet the statute and reflect the current market.” However, US officials admit some models will either be reduced or eliminated from the program. The government will publish a revised list of qualifying models by April 18th.The US and Japan signed a trade agreement on Tuesday that could help long-term by adding the Pacific power to the list of approved partners. In October, the Biden administration announced $2.8 billion in grants for 20 companies to spark domestic EV battery materials and production. The funding, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will support the new “American Battery Materials Initiative,” which aims to secure critical EV minerals and boost battery supply to meet Biden’s goal of making EVs half of US vehicle sales by 2030.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/stricter-guidance-means-fewer-evs-will-qualify-for-7500-federal-tax-credit-180350889.html?src=rss
On this final week of March, some decent deals presented themselves and today we're rounding up the best of what's still on offer. Amazon is celebrating World Backup Day today (Friday only) with discounts on portable and installed SSDs. Even if you had no idea such a holiday existed, you can still save up to 67 percent on storage options. Solo Stove is running a sale on three of its more popular fire pits and Amazon is offering free capacity upgrades on the new Galaxy S23 phones. We've got a discount code from Wellbots for 20 percent off Eero WiFi 6 routers and our favorite Android tablet is down to its lowest price ever. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.Solo Stove Ranger Essential Bundle 2.0Warmer weather is on the way. If an outdoor fire pit would be a welcome addition to your summer plans, you might want to check out Solo Stove's sale (running through April 2nd) with savings of up to 45 percent. Sure, fire pits aren't exactly "tech" but we love them and had to share the deal. Made from stainless steel, the fire pits generate less smoke through an innovative double wall design, and now come with an ash pan that solves what was once a cleanup headache.The Ranger Essential Bundle 2.0 includes the 15-inch fire pit, plus a stand, lid, carry case and the removable ash plate. This is a portable option you can pack up and take camping.The Yukon, at 27 inches in diameter, is the most sizable pit Solo Stove makes and is better suited to staying put in your back yard. That bundle is seeing the biggest discount with $460 off the $1,010 list price and comes with the lid, pan and stand, but not the carrying case. The mid-sized, 19-inch Bonfire Bundle is down to $300 instead of $570 and also comes with everything in the other packages, including the carrying case. Amazon is running a few Solo Stove deals too, with discounts on the Bonfire bundle and the tabletop Mesa.WD_Black 2TB SSDMarch 31st is World Backup Day, and through the end of the day, Amazon is running a big sale on storage so you can protect your data and save a little money while you're at it. One standout deal is on the WD_Black 2TB NVMe SSD which is 43 percent off, bringing it down to $170. Sandisk's 2TB Extreme Pro SSD is 24 percent off, down to $175 and the brand's 1TB Extreme microSDXC card is 67 percent off, down to $100. If you need more storage for your consoles, tablets or other devices, this is a good time to stock up.Sennheiser Momentum 4Right now Amazon is selling Sennheiser's Momentum 4 headphones for $265, which is an $85 discount and the lowest price we've seen yet. One of the few things we didn't like about the these was the change from the metal sidearms of the previous model to a much more ho-hum design that looks like any other plastic-laden headset out there. But if you can get beyond that, you'll be rewarded with headphones that deliver remarkably clear sound. Our audio expert, Billy Steele, said in his review that they were the best-sounding Bluetooth headphones he tried in 2022. They also offer about double the battery life of most noise-cancelling headphones and made our list of the best headphones on the market.Samsung Galaxy S23 UltraThe latest Samsung phones only came out in February, but right now you can save up to $200 on the larger capacity configurations at Amazon. The discounts basically amount to free storage upgrades, making the S23 Ultra in the 512GB capacity the same price as the 256GB size. Usually $1380, a 13 percent discount brings the more capacious model to $1,200. If you prefer the S23+, you can grab the 512GB model for the same $1,000 price as the 256GB option. And the standard S23 with 256GB of storage is down to $800, or the same as the 128GB models.The Galaxy S23 Ultra is our current favorite Android phone thanks to the excellent cameras, fast performance and extended battery life. As for the S23+, we think it's a great phone, but not a required upgrade for those with an S21 or S22.If you are looking to upgrade, and have a phone to trade in, you might be able to save more going through Samsung's site. They've been offering enhanced trade-in credits towards their new phones since they were released.Ring Video Doorbell 4The Ring Video Doorbell 4 is one of the more deluxe entryway cameras Amazon makes. And right now, it's down to $160, which is the lowest price since its launch in 2021. It takes 1080p HD footage of whomever approaches your door and includes pre-roll recordings that catch the seconds before something triggered the camera. You can hear, see and talk to visitors and even program Quick Replies to automatically deliver a message. The unit works by hooking into your existing doorbell wires, or it can run on the rechargeable battery.If you're looking for an even cheaper way to keep tabs on your porch, the Ring Video Doorbell Wired is just $39 right now after a steep 40 percent discount. It's important to note that Ring cams have had their share of privacy issues, which is an important consideration for anyone looking to get one of these devices.Brio 4K WebcamIn Engadget's guide to webcams, our commerce editor, Valentina Palladino, said Logitech's Brio 4K is the unit to grab if you're willing to spare no expense. But right now, Amazon is discounting the $200 camera to less than $130, making it a much more reasonable buy. The stand-out feature is the ability to shoot footage in 4K at 30 frames per second. The low-light capabilities are excellent as well. You can adjust the settings to get everything looking just how you want, with options in the app for brightness, contrast, color intensity, white balance, HDR, and image ratio. The microphones are loud and clear, and the design is a little more attractive than other cams thanks to the sleek and rounded build. We noted the color saturation was intense and the autofocus was finicky, but those were the only drawbacks, other than the (usual) list price.Eero Pro 6If you've been thinking about improving your home's WiFi coverage, you may want to check out the discount Wellbots is running on the Eero Pro 6 mesh Wifi router. Enter the code ENGADGET20 at checkout to get 20 percent off a single unit or a three-pack. Depending on the size of your home, the single pack may do just fine as it offers 2,000 square feet of coverage. The device offers support for WiFi 6, speeds of up to a gigabit and connectivity for up to 75 WiFi-enabled smart home devices. In addition to limiting dead spots and buffering, the router allows late-model Amazon Echo devices to act as WiFi extenders. Setup is easy with the Eero app and, even if you don't go for multiple units now, the system is easily expandable as your needs grow or change.Apple Watch Series 8 A quick reminder that the Apple Watch Series 8 is still on sale at Amazon for $329. It's been that price for a week or two now, but that does happen to be an all time low on the wearable. It's our pick for the best smartwatch overall and it earned a score of 85 in our review. Provided you like the Midnight colorway and the smaller 41mm case size, this might be a good time to upgrade to the latest entry in Apple's smartwatch series.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/save-up-to-460-on-solo-stove-fire-pit-bundles-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-172301836.html?src=rss
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